The Philippine Army (PA) on Sunday gave the ground rules on
who can be interred at the 103-square hectare Libingan Ng Mga Bayani (LNMB) in Fort Bonifacio ,
Taguig City
PA spokesperson Col. Benjamin Hao said the LNMB serves as a
tribute and resting place, not just for Filipino soldiers and war veterans, but
also for citizens who are considered heroes and martyrs.
LNMB is also a home to deceased presidents, dignitaries, national
artists, scientists, boy scouts, and military chief-of-staffs.
Under the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Regulation,
remains of the following deceased persons are qualified, and therefore
authorized, to be interred at the LNMB:
a.) Medal of Valor Awardees;
b.) Presidents or Commander-in-Chief, AFP;
c.) Secretaries of National Defense;
d.) AFP Chiefs of Staff;
e.) Generals/Flag Officers of the AFP;
f.) active and retired military personnel of the AFP, to
include active draftees and trainees who died in line of duty, and active
reservists and CAFGU Active Auxiliary (CAA) who died in combat operations or
combat-related activities;
g.) former members of the AFP who laterally entered or
joined the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Philippine National Police
(PNP);
h.) Veterans of Philippine Revolution of 1890, World War I,
World War II, and recognized guerillas;
i.) government dignitaries, statesmen, national artist and
other deceased persons whose interment and re-interment has been approved by
the Commander-in-Chief, Congress or the Secretary of National Defense, and
j.) former Presidents, Secretaries of Defense, dignitaries,
statesmen, national artists, widows of former Presidents, Secretaries of
National Defense and Chief of Staff.
Hao said the same AFP regulation also prescribes who are not
qualified to be interred in LNMB.
They are personnel who were dishonorably separated,
reverted, discharged from the service; and personnel who were convicted by
final judgment of an offense involving moral turpitude.
At present, the allocated number of grave sites or plots for
the Presidents or Commander-in-Chief is 46; 94 plots for Secretaries of
National Defense, government dignitaries and statesmen; 133 for the AFP Chiefs
of Staff; 118 for Medal for Valor awardees; 183 for other generals and flag
officers; 5,334 for World War II veterans; and 1,375 for national
artists/scientists. The rest of the grave sites are allocated for the active,
retired AFP personnel and veterans.
Currently, there are more or less 49,000 buried in the
103-hectare cemetery.
The Standing Operating Procedure (SOP) Number 04 of the
Philippine Army enumerates the guidelines and procedures on the arrangement and
conduct of funeral services for deceased Filipino war veterans, Philippine Army
retirees, reserve officers in active and inactive status and reservists who are
under Call-to-Active Duty (CAD) status.
The following govern the composition of funeral escorts to
be given to those who will be buried in LNMB (local commanders may vary the
composition as maybe appropriate to suit local situations):
1) One squad for enlisted personnel with the ranks of
Private to Sergeant;
2) One section for enlisted personnel with the ranks of
Staff Sergeant to Master Sergeant;
3) One platoon to officers with the ranks of Lieutenant to
Captain;
4) One company of two platoons for Major to one-star rank of
general/flag Officer;
5) One battalion of two companies for two-star rank of
general/flag officer to general (four-star); and civilian VIPs entitled to a
gun salute from 13 to 19 guns;
6) Brigade-size unit of two battalions for President,
Ex-President, SND, USND, CSAFP, or as prescribed by the President, Senate
President, Speaker of the House, SND, or Supreme Court Justices;
The LNMB is a property of the AFP. The PA is the unit tasked
to manage the operations and maintenance of the said military facility.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=889916
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.